Seed-separator.



J. B. RYLANDER.

SEED SEPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9,1917.

@Ui/these J. B. RYLANDER.

SEED SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9.1917.

1,261,299. Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NETE@ STATES PATENT @Fhlitlhl JAMES B. RYLANDER, OF LOCKl-IART, TEXAS.

SEED-surnames.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

`.implication iled Apri19, 1917. Serial No. 160,791.

ing is a specification.

he subject of this invention is a seed separator in which suction means coperates with a rotary beater to separate light undeveloped seed from the larger healthier seed.

The objects of the invention are: lirst, to provide a suction chamber with a rotary beater therein, and means for delivering seed to the chamber and removing healthy seed therefrom; second, to provide means for removing healthy seed from the light unformed seed, and removing the light unformed seed from dust and foreign substances; third, to provide airtight conveyers for delivering seed to and removing seed from the suction chamber; and fourth,

to provide a simple, cheap and efficient structure of the character set forth.

`Wth the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. y

In the accompanying drawings is shown one practical and preferred form of my invention.

In said drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, a portion of the casing being broken away to show the operative parts.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 vof Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals The uprights 1 1, stringers 2 2, and cross beams 3--3, form the main supporting frame for the machine,

Bearings 3, only one being shown, are provided on the frame, and within said bearings turns a horizontally disposed shaft 4, arranged transversely of the machine. This shaft constitutes the `main driving shaft of the machine and is adapted for driving connection with a surta le source o f power, not shown. A pulley 5 is provided at one end of the shaft 4, and has connection, through an 'open belt G, with a pulley 8 and a pulley 9, mounted on shafts .10 and 11, respectively. The shaft 10 is Journaled in the walls of a hopper 12, which extends laterally from the machine, and has secured thereto, within the hopper 12, a series of feeding vanes 13. The hopper 12 is formed with a curved bottom 14,

which extends beyond the hopper in one direction, and forms a cylindrical spout 15 for delivering seed from the hopper-to the machine.

The `shaft 11 is arranged on a slight in- Cline and is journaled, adjacent one end, in a wall of the hopper 12, and at the other end in a bearing 16, secured to one of the stringers 2. Secured to the shaft l1, and positioned within the bottom of the hopper and the spout 15, is a helical feed screw 17, which receives seed from the feed vanes 13 and propels the seed, along the bottom of the hopper and through the spout 15, to the machine. Secured to the shaft 11, within the machine proper, is a drum consisting in arms 18, to the outer ends of which are secured cross pieces 19, arranged parallel with the shaft 11, and the whole forming a support for a cylindrical wall 20, formed 0f wire mesh. The spout- 15 eX- tends within this drum, as is seen most clearly in Fig. 2.

Arranged transversely of the machine, and underlying the cylindrical sieve 20, and spaced therefrom, is a sieve 21, which is bent downwardly to form a substantially semi-cylindrical trough, and which is further bent at its lowest point to form a depending, longitudinal trough 22. Journaled in the frame of the machine, and extending transversely of the machine and through the trough 22, is a horizontal shaft casing 25, as seen most clearly in Fig. 1.

Within the casing 25 travels an endless belt 26 which passes over a lower pulley 27 and an upper pulley 28. The lower pulley 27 ismounted on a horizontal shaft 29 which extends transversely of the machine and which is journaled in suitable bearings 30,

which arc secured to the framework. The upper pulley 28 is provided with a shaft 31 which is journaled in the` sides olithe casing? 25. To the endless belt 26, spaced projecting members 32 are secured, which' catch' the seed deposited within the casing and elevate; it to the top thereof. The elevatorI casing 25 communicates, at the topf thereof, with a downwardly inclined spout 33, at the lower end of which is formed a hollow cylindrical member 34'. Y

Turning within. the cylindrical member 34,v and secu-red: to a shaft 35,.which extends lone gitudinally `through the member 34 andis jonrnaled in. bearings 3G, secured to the frame of the machine,... isa feed valve comprising a cylindrical body 3'?, and. radially extending, flexible vanes 33 spaced around the periphery thereof. Inclined. down wardly from the cylindrical member 34,. and connecting such member with a` suction` chamberl 39 isan inlet tube 40..

rlhe suction chamber 39 is of irregular shape, seen` most clearly in Fig.. 1, and has an. offset cylindrical' portion 41,- arr*L nged. adjacent the inlet of the tube 40, in which revolves a beater 42. The beater 42 is secured to a horizontal shaft 43 whichis j ournaled. in. the framework of` the machine and which extends through. the cylindrical portion 41TlOngitudinally thereof. Thev suc*- tion chamber 39` is also provided with a downwardly extending discharge tube 44, the Vlower end. of which is in communication with the cylindrical casing/45 of a discharge valve,. which valve consists of a cylindrical body 46 to which radially extending, flexible vanes' 47 are secured. The

' vanes4 are spaced. around the periphery of the. cylindrical body. The discharge valve is mounted' on a horizontal. shaft 4.8,. which is journaled in suitable bearings on the framework of the machine, and which extends longitudinally ofthe cylindrical casing 45'. A discharge spout 49 is provided at the lower portion of the casing 45,. through which the seedgravitating from the suction chamber is expelled.

The shaft 23, with its vanes 24; the shaft 35 and the inlet valve carried thereby; the shaft 43 and its beater 42; the shaft 43 andA its outlet valve; and the shaft 294 and with it. the endless belt 26, are all driven by the pulley 50"which is mounted on the shaft 4, in the following mannen-A belt 51 passes around the pulley 50, from which. it leads, under a belt Wheel 52,- on the shaft29; over a belt wheel 53, on the sli-aftA 48,. over a belt wheel 55,y on the shaft 35; and under a belt wheel 56 on the shaftA A cylindrical casing 57 is provided at the upper portion of the machine, which is in communication, through a tube '58,with thesuction chamber 39. Turning within the casing 57' is a rotary fan 59 with its shaft 60 and pulley G1, to which motion is imparted by' arbeit GQQAv-hieh. passes over the pulley 61 anda pulley 63 provided on a horizontal shaft 64L which is journaled in bearings secured to the framework of the machine, and

whicl-iI is driven by a belt G5 which. passes.

over a pulley (36,. on the shaft 64 and also over a drive pulley secured to the shaft 4, and which lies immediately back` ofi and is hiddcnrby ther pulley 50; (See Figi.)

A horizontally arranged outlet tube G7 extends, from the fan. casing` 57,. to the rear body 63,` and' a discharge tube- 73,. extends' outwardly and downwardly from the upper rinrofl the body portion. v

To'create a` proper'suction. and iiow of air, anopening/Z'l may be provi'd'edninthe casing 45 L of" the discharge valve.

The seed discharged from the spout 49 may be (rath'eredl in any suitable receptacle, andl an. elevating; spout 75Y may be provided for the purpose of: conveying the seed bevond the framework. off the machine..

The operation of. the device is as vfollowszueed' is fed. into' the hopper 12,. fromV whichl it is conveyed' by the rotating, vanes 13 to the feed screw. 117'.. The screw 17 delivers it through theA spout 15 to theinterior of the revolving: drum-lilie sieve 20. There dust andi other line' matter. is removed from the seed. and dropped onto the lower sieve 2l, which is of liner mesh and which will catch small seeds that may have come through the sieve 20. The screw 24 revolving. inv the trough 22 ofthe sieve 21, will stir the# niateri al which settles in. theV trough and thoroughly sift the same. The largerY seed, which has remained the` sieve 2U, will gravitate to the elevator casing` 28 and will be caught by the elevatingrprojections ofthel endless belt 26'1 and carried up and discharged into: the spout. 33`. Meantime the seed which has'escaped from the sieve 20, will have beensifteel. and will be gradually propelled by the vanes 24,.as the trough 22 fills,to the elevator casing 28' from whence it willi be delivered `to the spout 33'. The grain is receivedfrom the spout 33 upon the cylindrical: body 37 ofI the inlet valve,` each admitted chargeof seed restingbetween contiguousvanes 38'. These vanes are adapted to fit, closely against. the inner A wall of the valve casing. and prevent air fromlealiing through the valve. The seed delivered by the inlet valve, gravitates through the passage 40, into the suction chamber, where it is first delivered on the beater 4:2, which throws the seed against the walls of the chamber, adjacent the tube connecting the chamber to the fan casing. This scatters the seed and subjects it, while scattered, to a strong suction. By this action, light weight, undeveloped, or diseased seed is drawn to the fan casing, while the heavier, well developed seed gravitates through the discharge spout 4a, to the discharge valve, by which it is delivered through spout 49, to any suitable receptacle.

In the meantime, the seed which has been sucked into the fan chamber, is expelled therefrom through the tube 67 and into the conical compartment 68, where it meets the baille plates 69 and is deflected upwardly against the ribs 71. This action will allow the seed to drop between the bailies and gravitate to the stem 72, through which it discharges, while the lighter dust and other foreign substances, are driven, by the eX- pelled air, through the discharge tube 73.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y l.V A seed separator, comprisinga supporting frame, a rotary sieve journaled in the frame, a suction chamber, a valve casing communicating with the suction chamber, an air tight inlet valve turning in the casing, another valve casing communicating with the chamber, said casing providedwith an air inlet, an air tight discharge valve turning in said casing, a fan casing communicating with the chamber, a fan turning in the fan casing, means for delivering seed to the'sieve, means for conveying seed from `the sieve to the inlet valve, and means for operating the fan and the valves.

2. A seed separator, comprising a supporting frame, a rotary sieve journaled in the frame, a stationary sieve below the rotary sieve, a suction chamber, a valve casing communicating with the suction chamber, an airtight inlet valve turning in the casing, another valve casing communicating with the chamber, said casing provided with an air inlet, an airtight discharge valve turning in said casing, a fan casing communicating with the chamber, a fan turning in the fan casing, means for delivering seed to the rotary sieve, means for conveying seed from the stationary sieve to the inlet valve, and means for operating the fan and the valves.

3. A seed separator, comprising a supporting frame, a rotary sieve journaled in the frame, a suction chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, a fan casing communieating with the suction chamber, a fan turning in the casing, a discharge tube leading from the fan casing and merging into an enlarged end, baiiie plates arranged within and transversely of the end, a discharge tube depending from the enlarged end irrimediately below the baiiie plates, a discharge tube leading from the upper portion of the enlarged end, means for delivering seed to the sieve, means :for conveying seedfrom the sieve to the suction chamber, and means for operating the fan.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. RYLANDER.

Witnesses:

M. YV. SCHULZ, A. J. SToREY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

